The first time I learned how to make affogato, I was sitting in a cramped Roman cafe watching a barista simply drown a scoop of vanilla gelato in hot espresso. It felt like a magic trick where two ingredients suddenly became a gourmet dessert.
Most people overthink this and end up with a watery, melted soup that lacks that essential hot-and-cold contrast. The fix comes down to timing, temperature, and pulling a proper espresso shot.